Monthly Archives: June 2017

How often has this happened to you? Whether you came in second, third or fourth, you did not get the offer!

But why? You were a great fit. Everyone (including the recruiter) told you that you were the favorite. Yet it did not happen.

You rewind the tape to try to find the reason(s).

There are many reasons that may contribute to not being selected. Qualifications, money or an answer to a specific question are generally not the reasons, especially late in the cycle. Politics can play a role if you are going head to head with an inside candidate. That is tough one to overcome but not insurmountable.

But the biggest reason you did not get the offer is that you failed to take it over the goal line. This means you were not able to convince the hiring team that your “total package” was of greater value than the other candidate. Value is best defined by what you can do for the organization, the team, your new boss….to help them achieve THEIR goals.

By understanding those goals you can then focus on the value to them. So do your research. Their goals may include revenue maximization, cost controls, shareholder value, market share, ROI or more.

As you advance in your career, there are a number of organizations that you should become aware of, aimed at improving board skills and corporate governance. These include the Director’s Network, the Board Institute, ISS/Risk Metrics, and particularly National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) which has chapters in most major regions of the United States.

As soon as you begin interacting with a board, pay more attention to these groups and, if you can, wangle an invitation to attend meetings as a guest. There are 22 chapters nationwide and NACD is a member of the Global Network of Directors Institutes.

When you meet the membership criteria, join, particularly if you can get the company to pay for membership. NACD offers full membership for directors and executives of a company or not-for-profit. Individuals can join if they are active directors of public, private or not-for-profit organizations. (Thanks to Peter Gleason, Managing Director and CFO of NACD for this information.) They also offer a Boardroom Executive Affiliate program which offers limited benefits including access to NACD Directors Daily, “Directorship” Magazine and a mobile app, the NACD webinar series and inclusion in the Director’s Registry of board candidates.

We often hear that Networking Meetings are useless because they are full of people that are also looking for a job.

Just because people are in transition, does it mean they do not know people?

Look at it this way; you never know who people know!

Meeting new people and establishing rapport is good for you own mental state as well as expanding your network. When talking to another individual in transition it is up to you to manage the conversation. If the two of you sit around and compare notes on how tough it is, you are right; it is a waste of time.

On the other hand, if you spend the time to understand what the other person is looking for, and also explain your own direction, it can be mutually beneficial.

Take charge of the conversation and steer it towards discussions revolving around how each can help the other. This leads to networking success!